Learn How to Propagate a Rubber Plant With These 3 Simple Methods
August 14, 2024
The Rubber Plant is a superstar houseplant because of its glossy leaves and air-purifying abilities. These exotic beauties can clean the air of your indoor space and add a tropical vibe to your green corner. On that note, if you learn how to propagate Rubber plants, you can easily expand your greenery at home. Naturally, your newly propagated plants can also make great gifts for friends and family.
Rubber plant propagation is possible in water, soil, and by air-layering. Depending on how experienced an indoor gardener you are, you’ll succeed in any of these proven methods, with air-layering being the most tricky.
Our comprehensive guide will explore each technique in detail to help you become more confident in propagating your rubber plant successfully. Last but not least, you’ll learn a few post-propagation care tips and tricks to ensure your new rubber trees grow healthy and strong
So, keep reading to find out more.
About Rubber Trees
The Rubber plant, scientifically known as Ficus elastica, belongs to the Ficus plant family and is native to India and Southeast Asia. Besides its aesthetic appeal, due to the glossy, oval-shaped leaves, the Rubber tree has strong air-purifying properties - an added benefit of growing it indoors. In addition, this tropical beauty is easy to care for, making it a popular low-maintenance plant among beginner and experienced plant parents.
Remember that the ‘true’ Rubber Plants aren’t related to the popular Baby Rubber Plants, which belong to the very different Peperomia genus with much smaller leaves.
Some of the much-loved rubber plant varieties are the Burgundy Rubber Tree with shiny, dark red-burgundy leaves and the classic Ficus Elastica Robusta with deep-green foliage. From the variegated varieties, the rare and stunning Ficus Elastica Tineke stands out with its beautifully patterned leaves in green and pinkish-cream. Last but not least is the gorgeous Ruby Rubber Plant that boasts pink and red variegation on its pale-green leaves.
So, are Rubber Plants hard to propagate? Let’s find out!
Can You Propagate a Rubber Plant at Home?
Propagating Rubber plants at home is a straightforward process and a rewarding experience. You’ll need a healthy parent plant that you can multiply into new plants with the help of a few tools and supplies. See below how to propagate a Rubber tree to expand your plant collection, using the following three methods:
- In water, using stem cutting
- Rooting again stem cutting in soil (or perlite)
- By air-layering
Choose the right propagation technique that fits your expertise and gardening skills. We recommend using the stem-cutting methods if you’re new to propagating plants.
Propagating a Rubber Tree: When to Take Rubber Plant Cuttings?
The best time to take Rubber tree cuttings is spring when plants are actively growing. This helps the parent plant’s recovery and new leaf growth after cutting the stem. In addition, the cutting will root faster and more successfully at this time of the year.
Rubber Plant Propagation: Supplies You Need
For successfully propagating a Rubber Plant, you need to gather some tools and supplies, like:
- Sharp knife or pruners
- Rooting hormone
- Sphagnum moss
- Clear plastic wrap
- Container
- Potting soil
- Perlite (optional)
- Water
Sanitization is essential when it comes to propagation. So, clean your tools with alcohol to prevent cross-contamination with pathogenic organisms.
You should also keep yourself safe from the mildly irritating sap released from the plant. To do so, wear gloves and a full-sleeved shirt while working.
How to Propagate a Rubber Plant Easily in 3 Ways
Source: The Green Earth
As discussed, you can propagate Rubber plant in soil, water, or by air layering. But you should first learn how and where to cut Rubber plants for propagation.
1. Propagating Rubber Trees in Soil
Propagating Rubber trees in the soil is a quick and easy method, which is preferred by most gardeners, due to its high success rate. You may choose to use perlite instead of potting mix. Below are the steps to follow:
- Pick a stem: Select a healthy 6” stem from the parent plant with several leaves and preferably new growth.
- Take a cutting: Use clean pruners to cut this section at a 45-degree angle between two nodes. (A node is the bump where the leaf meets the stem.)
- Apply rooting hormone: Dip the cut end of the stem in the rooting hormone to enhance the speed of root development.
- Plant in soil: Fill a small planter with a moist, well-draining potting mix. Place the cutting in it and secure it well in the soil.
- Provide warmth and sunlight: Place the pot with the cutting in a warm spot with bright, indirect sunlight.
- Provide humidity: Cover the pot with a clear plastic bag or humidity dome, for trapping moisture. You can also mist the plant.
- Water regularly: Keep the soil moist but not soggy.
- Wait patiently: Allow the roots to develop in the next few weeks. Don’t disturb the cutting during this time.
- Check root development: After 2-3 weeks, gently pull the cutting. If you feel resistance, it means the cutting has developed roots.
- Remove covering: After the roots are established, remove the plastic covering or dome and continue to care for the baby plant.
This video explains the process of Propagating Rubber Trees from cuttings.
2. How to Propagate a Rubber Plant in Water
You can also use a cutting to propagate a rubber plant in water. Remember that Rubber plant propagation in water is, sometimes, faster than in soil, but the roots are weaker.
Here are the steps to propagate a Rubber Plant in a jar filled with water:
- Select a stem: Pick a healthy stem of about 6” long with around three leaves and new growth at the tip.
- Cut the stem below a leaf node: Use clean pruners or scissors to cut the stem below a leaf node at 45 degrees.
- Remove lower leaves: Remove the lower leaves from the stem to prevent rotting in water.
- Place in water: Fill a jar or vase with clean water and place the cutting. Ensure the leaves are above the water surface.
- Choose a bright spot: Place the jar in a spot with bright, indirect light. Avoid direct sunlight to prevent the cutting from getting scorched.
- Change the water regularly: Refill the container with clean water every week or when the water starts to look cloudy. This prevents the risk of root rot.
- Wait for the cutting to root: You’ll notice new roots developing within a few weeks.
- Transplant: Once the roots become about 2” long, transplant the cutting into a pot with soil.
3. Rubber Tree Propagation by Air-layering
Soil and water propagation are the most popular ways of propagating a Rubber Ttee. However, you can also use the air-layering technique, though it may seem slightly more complex and elaborate.
It spurs root growth from a stem still attached to the parent plant. After rooting, the stem is cut and planted independently. Here are the steps:
- Choose a healthy stem: Pick a 12”-18" long. stem and remove the lower leaves.
- Wound the stem: Make two cuts around the stem 1” apart with a sharp knife. The cut should be deep enough to reach the woody center. Make a connecting cut with a vertical slice and remove the bark.
- Apply Rooting Hormone: Remove the soft tissues from the wood by scraping them. Put some rooting hormone powder to boost root formation.
- Wrap with sphagnum moss: Wrap a generous amount of soaked and well-wrung sphagnum moss around the wound.
- Cover the wound: Wrap the moss-covered portion with plastic and secure it with twist ties.
- Check moisture level: Ensure that the moss remains moist. If it dries, remove the plastic and moisten it before wrapping it again.
- Wait for the roots: Allow the roots to grow for the next 4-8 weeks.
- Separate the rooted section: Once the roots are several inches long, remove the plastic wrap and cut the stem below the bottom part of the wound.
- Transplant: Plant the propagated cutting in a pot with fresh soil.
- Relocate: Place the new Rubber tree in a spot with indirect light, then water it well. (You don’t need to remove the moss, as it will decompose naturally.)
Rubber Plant Ficus Elastica: Post-Propagation Care Advice
After propagation, your new Rubber tree needs proper care to grow into a healthy plant. You should meet its watering needs and light requirements, and provide it with the right growing conditions.
How Do You Take Care of Rubber Plant Cuttings?
To ensure that your baby rubber tree receives proper care, follow these tips:
- Light and placement: Put your young Rubber tree in a spot with bright, indirect sunlight.
- Watering: Allow the soil to dry completely between watering sessions.
- Fertilizer: Apply a high-phosphorus fertilizer initially. Switch to a high-nitrogen fertilizer when leaves mature. Feed your plant monthly during the growing season.
- Humidity and temperature: Keep it in a temperature range of 65°F-78°F. Mist it occasionally to raise the humidity around the plant in dry conditions.
Rubber Tree Propagation: FAQs
Q: Can you propagate a Rubber Plant from a leaf?
A: No, although you’ll come across many video tutorials showing you how to root a Rubber plant’s single leaf in water or soil, it’s unlikely that a new Rubber tree will grow from this leaf.
Q: Is it better to propagate Rubber Plants in water or soil?
A: It is better to propagate Rubber Plants in soil than water. Soil propagation is more successful compared to water propagation. Besides, the new plant will have stronger roots when propagated in soil or perlite. That's because soil propagation allows roots to experience more resistance during development.
Q: How long does it take for rubber plant cuttings to root?
A: Rubber tree cuttings will root in several weeks, depending on the propagation method and the conditions you provide. Light and temperature affect the speed of root development, so ensure the cuttings are placed in the right environment for optimal results.
Q: What is the best soil for Rubber Plant cuttings?
A: Rubber Tree plants are not that fussy. So, you can use a universal potting mix, made of equal amounts of peat, pine bark, and sand, to propagate your Ficus Elastica.
Conclusion
Once you learn how to propagate a Rubber Tree plant, you can grow new plants to enhance your collection or share them with other plant lovers among your friends.
You can complement your Rubber trees with other tropical plants for the ultimate indoor garden. Be it the stunning Alocasia Polly, the unique Black Raven ZZ Plant with a gothic vibe, or the drought-friendly Zeylanica Snake Plant, you’ll be spoiled for choice of Rubber plants’ ideal partners.
